Process of manufacturing gas.



No. 766,554. PATENTED AUG. 2, l90 4. J. C. H. STUT.

PROCESS OF MANUFACTURING GAS.

APPLICATION FILED 0011s, 1903.

N0 MODEL. 3 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

mtnesses:- Inventor;

No. 766,554. PATENTED AUG. 2, 19-04. J. C. H. STUT.

PROCESS OF MANUFACTURING GAS.

APPLICATION FILED 0OT.13, 1903.

N0 MODEL. 3 SHEETSSHEET 2.

nv altar N0. 766,554v PATENTED AUG. 2, 1904 J. G. H. STUT.

PROCESS OF MANUFACTURING GAS.

APPLICATION FILED OUT, 13, 1903.

NO MODEL. 3 SHEETS-SHEET 3 2 f Invuzim;

UNITED STATES Patented August 2, 1964.

PATENT OEEicE.

JOHN C. H. STUT, OF OAKLAND, CALIFORNIA.

SPECIFICATION forming part 01'" Letters Patent No. 766,554, dated August 2, 1904. Application filed October 13, 1906 Serial No. 176,816. (No specimens.)

To n, 1117107)), it may concern.-

Be it known that 1, JOHN O. H. STUT, a citizen of the United States, residing at Oakland, in the county of Alameda and State of California, have invented new and useful Improvements in Processes of I'Ianufacturing Illuminating-Gas from Crude Oil and Steam, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to an improved process for manufacturing illuminatinggas from crude oil and steam.

In water-gas making the state of the art' has been and is now as follows: Assume a thick layer of highly-heated coke or coal confined in an oven of any shape or form. Saturated or superheated steam is allowed to pass up through this highly-heated carbon, whereby the steam is split up in its elements-hydrogen and oxygen. The hydrogen is left free, whereas the oxygen combines with the carbon, forming thereby carbon monoxid or CO. The two gases CO and H, orso-called watergas, are very valuable for heating purposes, but are deficient in illuminating power. In order to make them also valuable for this lighting purpose, it is customary to volatilize light lrvdrocarbons or oils and mix these so volatilized hydrocarbon vapors with the H and (.O or water-gas coming from the highlyheated coal or coke and passing the combined gases over heated surfaces to become fixed. This process of mixing the hydrocarbons with the water-gas is called carbureting. arbureting of the water-gas can be carried on either in the oven wherein the water-gas is made or in a receptacle outside or beyond this oven and before the gases are together heated and fixed. It is thus seen that the present state of the art requires, first, the large body of heated carbon; second, the steam passing through the carbon; third, the volatile oil or hydrocarbon, (of which there is used only a very small amount on account of its high value;) fourth, the mixing of the water-gas and volatile gases, and, fifth, the fixing of the gases by heat. After this comes, of course, the usual cooling and purifying of these gases to make them ready for the consumers.

In my invention I propose to proceed as follows: The main raw product from which the gas will be made will be crude oil and steam only. Preferably crude oil of asphaltum base is used. since it produces a heavy carbonaceous residue. A thick layer of refractory porous material, consisting of either brokenup fire-brick, infusorial earth, &c., is contained in an oven or ovens. This layer will be heated to a high heat by spraying the crude oil over the top of this layer and introducing air either below or on top, or both ways, on this oil. .After a certain heat is obtained it will be found that a certain amount of coked residue resulting from the crude oil is contained in the porous refractory material. This residue contains a large amount of carbon, and this residue or carbon from the crude oils I will use as a base from which to make my water-gas. In order to do this, I proceed as follows: After the refractory material containing this coked residue has come to the proper degree of heat I shut off the air-supply and introduce steam under this thick.

layer of refractory material containing the coked residue from the crude oil and which is mostly carbon. The steam and carbon thus meeting at the proper temperature will commingle to make water-gas; but on top of the hot layer the crude oil will still be introduced, the lighter oils becoming volatilizcd on account of the high heat contained in the walls of the oven and the refractory material, the volatile. products serving to enrich the watergas, while the carbonaceousresidue drops onto the refractory material, replenishing the carbon thereon at it becomes used in the making of water-gas. This mixture of gas is passed over and through highly-heated brick checkerwork, and thus becomes fixed. After this the gas is purified as usual. Thus the entire process is carried on in the one apparatus.

\Vhile the makingof illuminating-gas from crude oil alone is not new, I know of no instance where the carbonaceous residuum has been used for making coke and of this coked residuum being used in the manufacture of water-gas, nor of any instance of the manufacture of an illuminating-gas from crude oil and steam alone,nor of the making and mixing of these two gases -in the one apparatus and at one operation.

In carrying out my invention I preferably employ an apparatus of the type herein illuson line 3 of Fig. 2,-and partial section on line 2? 6 Z r of Fig. 2. Fig. 2 is a view showing a plan of the left portion, a section adjacent thereto on lines R n 0 p of Fig. 1, and the remainder on lines (1 8 of Fig. 1. -Fig. 3 is a transverse section on lines f e (Z 0 of Fig. 1. Fig. 4 is a horizontal section, one portion being taken on line A b and the remainder to the right of section Z m of Fig. 2.

For the purposes of illustration I have shown here a series of four ovens, (marked 1, 2, 3, and 4,) though it is obvious this number may be varied in practice, if desired.

5 and 6 are the carbureters or superheaters, located at each side of the oven series, and 7 and 8 are regenerators, located beyond the earbureters at each end and surmounted by respective stacks 9 10, having the respective dampers 11 12.

13 represents a washer, of whichthere isone at each end of the apparatus,'although sages 14, and the bottoms of the carbureters.

and regenerators are connected by passage 15.

The ovens are prov1ded with hearths, per- .forated, as at 16, up throughwhich air or steam may pass from the fines 17,. which extend lengthwise of each oven. The hearths are adapted to support a layer of coke, coal, or a refractory porous medium 16-as, for example, broken fire-brick, infusorial earth,

&e.capable of being brought to a state of incandescence by any suitable heating means and still remaining permeable to gases.

18 is amain air-supply pipe extending over the top and outside of the ovens, from which air may be supplied to the ovens both above and below the fuel by means of the branch pipes 19 20, which open, respectively, into the fluid-passages 21 above and between the ovens and into the ends of the flues 17. The pipes 19 20 are provided with suitable controlling-valves, (indicated at 20.) The regenerators have also branch air-pipes 22, leadingfrom the air-main 18, and the passage of air through them is controlled by valves 23. If coal fuel is used, it is admitted to the ovens as needed through the top doors 24.

The ends of the ovens are closed by. the main doors 25, provided with the smaller doors 26 to allow the operator to have access. to.

spread a fresh charge of coal over the ovens.

' as shown. 28, which allow for the cleaning ofthe space :the ovens are assumed to be hot.

The main doors are hung on swingingarms 27, Below the hearths are the doors beneath the ovens. The carbureters and regenera-tors are provided with respective doors 29 and 30.

The carbureters and regenerators have formed within them a checker-work of brick or the like so laid as to form tortuous passages, through which the gases from the ovens and the air admitted from pipes 22 are caused to pass.

Oil may be sprayed into the. ovens upon the incandescent hearth-arcas through pipes 31.

top of the regenerators through pipes 33, passing down through the checker-work in one regenerator, up through the checker-work in the corresponding carbureter, and thence traversing the oven-space to mingle with the evolving gases from the fuel. In the present device steam is also adapted to be admitted below each hearth, as at 34, and to pass through the porous incandescent body above the hearth.

3.7 is the main gas-pipe, leading from each .regenerator to its respective washer and having a controlling-valve 38, while 39 is the outlet from the washer.

The ovens, carbureters, and regenerators For the heating period coal or other fuelis fed as required into the charging-holes 24. The covers of these holes being then closed Supposing the operation be from left to right, damper 11 in stack 9 at the left will be closed and damper 12 at the right opened. Valves 38 .in gas-pipes 37 and also air-valve 23 in pipe 22 at the right will be closed; but air-valve 23 at the left will be opened, as likewise will be upper valves 20, and if it is desired to heat up the ovens quickly lower valves 20 also will be opened. Air under pressure or by induced draft is introduced from the main supply-pipe 18. By induced draft is meant a draft which either results from high chimneys or from an exhauster that will draw the gases of combustion from the ovens by the production of a partial vacuum therein, whereas a forced draft produces a pressure within the ovens in excess of the atmospheric. pressure. From the hot fuel the gases are now 32 represents similar oil-inlets opening into the upper part of the carbureters.

Steam may be admitted alternately to the evolved, and thesecombine with the oxygen of the air, making gases of combustion or waste gases. The gases of combustionpass through the openings 1% from oven to oven to the top of the carbureter 6 at the right, thence passing down through the brick checker-work of this carbureter through the flue 15 into the bottom of the regenerator 8 and up through its checker-work and through the open stackvalve 12 into the smoke-stack and thence to the atmosphere. Duringthis time the air-valve 23 in the pipe 22 of the right-hand regenerator will remain closed; but the air-valve 23 for the left-hand regenerator has been opened. The air then introduced into the left-hand regenerator will become highly heated in passing through the hot checker-work and will burn mostof the lanipblack or fine carbon that has been deposited from the previous run of gas, working from right to left. Under the old process coking is the essential culmination of the heating process, for it is the coke from the coal that is to provide the carbon for the manufacture of the water-gas. Under my process the coal is simply a means for bringing the porous medium 16 to a state of incandescence,

whereby it may act upon the oil that is to besprayed into the ovens during the gas-making period to convert it into coke. WVhether coalcoke or broken tire-brick is used as a porous medium upon which to spray the oil the heating operation by coal or other suitable fuel is continued until this medium and the ovenwalls are in a state of incandescence. In fact, some of the ovens may be charged more heavily with coal than others, so that when the heating is done and all is in readiness for the gas-making some of the ovens will have a body of gas-evolving coal, while in the alternate ovens all the coal and carbon will have been consumed and nothing will be left but the body of incandescent tire-brick or the like upon the bottom of the ovens. these carbon-bare ovens that oil is to be sprayed during the gas-making period, and the oil so sprayed is to produce the carbon which is to enter into the manufacture of the water-gas.

To illustrate the manner of charging the ovens, the present drawings show oven 3 as filled with green coal, while the contiguous ovens E2 and 1 have had the fuel entirely consumed in heating up the refractory porous layer 16 and the oven-walls. Oven 1 is presumed also to be charged with green coal, so that the smoldering heat of ovens 1 and 3 will dilfuse through the contiguous walls of ovens 2 and 4 and keep the latter hot long after the gas-making has actually begun. During the heating period air is introduced over the fuel in all the ovens, so that heat can be produced by the consumption of the gases arising from the fuel, but air is introduced underneath those ovens only that are to be used for making oil-gas and water-gas laterin a state of incandescence.

It is into 2 0., ovens 2 and 4tsince all the fuel in those ovens is consumed in getting up heat. The intense heat created by the updraft through ovens 2 and 1 reverberates from above and is conducted through the contiguous walls to act upon the coal charge in ovens 1 and 3. As soon as the ovens have been properly heated all the air-valves to the ovens, carburetors, and regenerators are closed, also the stackvalve 12 and the gas-valve 38 on the right is opened. This brings us to the gas-making period.

In the gas-making period ovens 3 and 1,

with a body of incandescent coal or coke surmounted by a body of green coal, will give off coal-gas and through radiation will transmit some of its heat through the intervening walls to ovens 2 and hwhich, as described, are Reciprocally ovens 2 and 4 will have assisted to heat up ovens 1 and 3. The heat in ovens 2 and 4 in the gas-making period will be used in making, first, oil-gas and coke from oil, and, secondly, water-gas, all in the gas-making period, the contained heat of ovens 1 and 3 assisting through radiation and reverberation from above to keep up the heat in ovens 1 and 3. Oil is first sprayed from pipes 31 over the incandescentlayer 16 in ovens 2 and 4. Naturally the quantity of this oil will be regulated so as to prevent flooding of the furnace. The oil is finely atomized, the more volatile products b ing evolved as oil-gas, which rises and commingles with the coal-gas of ovens 1 and 3. The heavier asphaltic particles of the oil drop onto the porous incandescent medium and instantly become transformed to solid particles of incandescent coke or carbon. How much coke may thus be produced and still be left in condition hot enough to make water-gas will depend on the size of the furnace, the depth of the incandescent stratum, and the amount of oil fed in. In any event as soon as a sufficient quantity of incandescent coked residuum is collected on and within the porous stratum 16 steam in regulated quantity is admitted from beneath these ovens, and this passes up through the coke to combine therewith and form water-gas the third element of the resulting gas mixture. The admission of steam from below may then pro ceed simultaneously with the oil infeed, or the latter may be reduced or discontinued if it is desired to consume all the oil-coke in making water-gas. As long as oil is fed toovens 2 and 4 and they remain sufiiciently hot coke is formed. The volatilization of the infed oil and the coking of the oil residuum is assisted and prolonged through the reverberation and radiation of the heat from the coalcontainlng ovens 1 and 3. Thus without any alteration in the process I get, first, oil-gas and water-gas; second, oil-gas, water-gas, and coal-gas; third, oil-gas, water-gas, and coke; fourth, oil-gas, water-gas, coal-gas, and coke.

In other words, step four is but a combination or the culmination of steps one, two, and three. After a certain period of operation in one direction the ovens will cool down somewhat, and as soon as this occurs the gas-making will cease. At this point the reheating of the ovens must be resorted to, and it will be done in precisely the same manner as before except that it will take place in the opposite direction through the furnace and ovens 2 and twill be charged with green coal and no air or steam will pass up through those ovens, but air will be admitted up through ovens 1 and 3 during the heating period and steam during the gas-making period. During the latter period oil and steam would be fed to ovens 1 and 3. This alternate action of heating and gas-making and of charging first one set of ovens and then the other and of reversing the direction of operating may go on indefinitely.

It is obvious that oil-gas and water-gas will evolve from ovens 2 or 4 and mix to form an illuminant whether ovens 1 and 3 are charged with coal or not. The use of coal in ovens contiguous to those in which only oil and steam are used simply gives another illuminating element to be added in the same apparatus to the oil-gas and water-gas and, incidentally through radiation helps to keep the water-gas-making ovens hot longer.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. The process of manufacturing gas which consists in heating an oven having a layer of non-combustible porous material in the bottom, to incandescence, injecting oil into this oven to form an oil-gas and to deposit upon the non-combustible incandescent bottom an candescent medium, and then consuming this carbonaceous medium in the manufacture of water-gas by admitting steam up through said material, and mixing the oil-gas and watergas.

3. The process of manufacturing gas consisting in heating a non-combustible porous material to incandescence and injecting crude oil thereon whereby oil-gas is formed from a portion and the oil and a carbonaceous deposit is formed from the oil residue, then consuming the said carbonaceous material in this same oven in the manufacture of water-gas by admitting steam up through the carbonaceous and non-combustible materials,and mixing the oil-gas and water-gas.

4. The process of manufacturing gas from oil and steam which consists in admitting oil over an incandescent porous refractory medium contained in an oven so as to form gas from some of the oil, and deposit the heavier oil on and in said incandescent material to become here gas and some coke, and passing steam up through said incandescent medium and coke to form water-gas.

5. The process of manufacturing gas consisting in admitting oil upon an incandescent permeable medium in one oven to produce oilgas and coke, passing steam up through said coke to produce water-gas, producing coalgas from a body of coking-coal in a contiguous connected oven, and mixing and collecting said several gases.

6. The process of manufacturing gas consisting in admitting oil upon an incandescent permeable medium in one oven to produce oilgas and coke, passing steam up through said coke to form water-gas, simultaneously producing coal-gas from a body of coking-coal in a contiguous oven, mixing the several gases in the one apparatus, and then reversing the process and making coal-gas in the first oven and oil-gas and water-gas in the second.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in presence of two subscribing witnesses.

JOHN C. H. STUT.

Witnesses:

FRANK L. OWEN, CLAY P. GOODING. 

